oceans of fun at the beach!

In case you're taking your own little ones pool side or to the shore {or teaching on the theme because it's just perfect for summer} here are some cute and easy crafts to do.  No template to share because the're pretty easy...and end up even better when kid-created.

To add some sparkle & shine to the starfish, throw some glitter paint spots on there.  You could even add sand to the paint for additional texture or brush it on with glue before adding the glitz.

I love this sweet clam...complete with pearl inside!  We added glitter to this too {of course} because pearls are so shiny.  This would also make a great place to write about a beach trip if your kids are thinking about sending a postcard back home...or if you want to sneak in some writing practice!  ;)

Look closely at this whale for my favorite part...his teeth!  We used what we already knew about the inside of a whale's mouth {thank you, Nemo} and researched real pictures to get a better look.  Using yellow yarn came straight from a child and I thought it was the perfect thing!  You could use tissue paper or crepe paper for the water spout for a better contrast.

The octopus and jellyfish both have cute dangly legs/tentacles to wave about.  The octopus' mouth is actually on the back because once we watched a real octopus eat, this little artist knew she couldn't put a smiley mouth on the front.  {Their mouths are actually up underneath their heads!}  And the jellyfish we watched were more of a pinkish shade but my friend who chose the jellyfish didn't want HIS to be pink...{not a battle worth having, am I right?!}

Hopefully you can use the first picture above to eyeball the rest of the designs.  We added teeth to the shark and had fish of all colors and sizes but the patterns were quite simple and ended up being great for teamwork practice.  {Do you think I should put this here?  How would you make a claw?}

If you have a Discovery Education account, there are fabulous video clips there about the ocean and the animals who live there.  {If you don't, you need to start harrassing your admin to get it now.}  There are also some great clips on YouTube...just be sure to watch them before showing any kids to assure there are no potty words or icky body parts on the beach!!